Review of The Searchers (1956) by Adi W — 20 Mar 2012

If there is anything we have learned from filmmakers, it's that the collaboration of John Wayne, and John Ford was always the best in the western genre. Wayne could always play the characters with such a unique ability, and John Ford was the mastermind behind it all. His setting was incredible, and for a filmmaker with such little direction and simple dialogue, he would always make the most out of the scenarios with his timing, and impeccable use of the environment. Out of their time shared together, they have provided us with a magnificent library of classic westerns, and a few of their films have been deserving of it's flawless status. The Searchers is one of their best for the simplest reasons, and it's flaws also range from the same reasons. Yet as it burst with color, John Ford brings to life one of his most entertaining, and eerie environments of the genre that him and John Wayne redefined.

When it first begins, your left with a feeling of disbelief. No matter how many times you have heard that it is a masterpiece, the first few scenes allow you to scratch your head and question the audience's description. What you notice then, and throughout most of the film is that the dialogue is simple and very clumsy. Later on it works will with the story, yet it's instantly quotable phrases become overused and for a while, even the simplest quotes become repetitive. The music also becomes a well known factor in the film. It's used every second, and though it sets the mood and is considered it's backbone, it's used to much to be considered valuable to the setting. Yet the score is beautiful, and may be one of the best things about the film. Of course it does help with it's eerie scenario, and makes the story itself an enjoyable one, even with the graphic moments that follow.

But if the film is anything other than a Cowboys versus Indians rampage, it's a tragic character study of what might be one of the most complex protagonists in film history. John Wayne's character is so mysterious, and ambiguous that it is hard to take away just what his goal, and personality really were. Of course the environment showed the difficulties that the settlers in Indian territory faced, but the protagonist was a total mystery. What he had done, where he had gone, who he really was, and in the end... what his actual goal was were never shown. The thought-provoking technique is a hard one to master, yet Nugent's script leaves the viewer with questions of their own, without stepping the bounds of plot holes and continuity. In such an epic, it is hard to believe that they would choose to make it a character study. But there are so many subplots to go along with it. A wonderful array of action packed battle sequences, some of the most colorful scenery, and perhaps the most breathtaking cinematography to ever come out of any western.

It's not a perfect film, and its status among critics and polls being overrated is not much short of an understatement. It was more of a film that never figured out which tone it was willing to strive for. It bounced back and forth from different genres every now and then, and the time frames that it took seemed a little unorthodox with the narrative. One scene a winter came in, and then it was gone the next. After a while, you find out their journey was around 5 years, but there was no way to keep track of the time frame through the narrative. Of course you can always enjoy The Searchers for what it really is. The character study is incredible through John Ford's direction, and the technicolor shines through in ways that were impeccable to cinema. But with it's status so high you would have expected more out of the classic. It isn't a masterpiece, but for what it is, there is no denying that it's a fun film. Of course I love a John Wayne movie, and it's even better when he doesn't say Pilgrim every ten seconds.